Donation News

I have heard from a reliable source in Kenya that some of my estimated costs are high. Chickens especially should cost 1/2 to a 1/3 of what I quoted, so $5 to $7 a piece. The cows may be less as well. This is great news, as now the donations will stretch even farther. It may be possible to set up a contingency fund for veterinarian costs for the livestock, if there are any surplus funds after the animals are purchased and the barn is built.

I will also post a detailed account of how all the money was spent, on this blog, when I return.

Thank you again to everyone for your support
Kelsey

Today is brought to you by...

My auntie Susan and Uncle Mike Gardiner, Elaine Hughes-Games who is Fiona's auntie, my friend Leah Kimura from first year Ross, and my cousin Heather Gardiner and my friends Jen Chapman and Flo Sanchez. Thank you for your support!

A big thank you to David Saito at DeSerres for donating art supplies and to my sister Rebecca for donating a huge amount of clothing.

Last minute things

I had my last day off before the trip today (I'm working til Friday afternoon, we fly out at 9pm, crazy I know...)so I've been running around doing all the little things. Buying rubber boots (apparently it's been pretty rainy over there, so probably awfully muddy as well), laundry, packing and I got my H1N1 shot today. I hadn't originally planned on getting it, as I'm not too concerned about getting sick, but a pharmacist I know mentioned that she was more worried about giving it to someone. Since there are kids with HIV at Mama Tunza's it seemed like a good idea to get it so I don't give it to them.

I'm up to $3716 thanks to my dad's cousins Joyce and Bob Tremblay, my friend Mel Harmer from my UBC years, Steve Maltby who let me be his temporary roommate when I got back from Australia and was an awesome photographer at Ironman and my wonderful friends/cousins/former employers Andrea and Dave McFadden. Thank you!

Nearly at $3500!

Me and Hannah with our little family. Kevin, Kemto and Peter

First off I would like to thank my Mom and Dad who were the first to jump on board with a generous donation back in the spring when I first started thinking about the project. While they weren't completely thrilled when I decided to go to Kenya the first time, they came around quickly and visited Ethiopia with my Dad's Rotary Club last fall. Besides helping me with the project they are also involved in one there, paying for desks for a school.

More thanks go to Maggie Bowden from LSport, Rebecca Clarke who is a friend of Fiona's and my dad's cousins Michele and Richard Allegretto.

Even though we leave on Friday, it is now a week until we actually arrive in Kenya! We have an overnight layover in London. My friend Hannah, who was a volunteer at Mama Tunza's with me last time lives there and has been nice enough to put me and Alisha up for the night. Hannah spent some time back in Kibera this spring so I'm looking forward to catching up with her and hearing all the stories!

It hit me...

last night that I'm actually about to go to Kenya, as I took my first anti malaria pill. It's funny with big things like this, so much anticipation and then bam! you're almost on your way and you can't believe it.

Alisha and i got our placements. We'll both be at Mama Tunza's and living together with a chief and his family in Ngong. Interesting, I'm not sure what he's a chief of, but we'll find out soon enough.

Donations keep coming and I'm getting closer and closer to the goal. Now standing at $3286. Thank you to my sister Shannon and her husband Alex, our family friends Fiona Steele and Jessica Lemes Da Silva, Shannon Lawrie from LadySport, Becky Flanagan a friend from my KSS days, half of my favourite set of twins Meg Braem, (Hot) Beck Wiasak my lovely friend from Canberra and Mary Beckmann one of my mom's bridge partners! It's great to have your support.

More donations and a Facebook Group

I've now got over half the money needed, up to $2941 today. Thank you to my sister Rebecca and her tenant Jared, Auntie Mary Ellen and Uncle Mark, my good friends Gill Martin and James Markus, Tom and Wendy Paterson from the Sunrise Rotary Club, my friend Melisa who I've known since I've known since first year UBC and Lynn Royes from Canberra Girls Grammar, who I job shared with last year, all of whom made a donation!

Also I've started up a Facebook Group, HOME (Help Orphans with Milk & Eggs), if you want to join!

Thank you Rotary!

My dad has been a member of Kelowna Sunrise Rotary Club for a number of years now and Rotary has had a huge influence on my life.

My parents have hosted 5 exchange students, starting with Marie from France who stayed with us when I was 11. We've stayed in touch with Marie (I have seen her twice in France and Mom and Dad just visited her and her family in September). as well as our two brazilian sisters Ana Lu and Isis.

I thought Rotary Exchange was great and in Grade 12 applied to the program. In July 1999 I was on my way to Haderslev, Denmark for a year. I stayed with three wonderful families, attended school there and learned Danish. That year was pivotal for me. It opened up the world for me and made me eager to seek out opportunities to see and live in other parts of the world. I gained a huge amount of confidence that year and learned so much about myself and what I was capable of doing. I think it's safe to say without Rotary and their Youth Exchange Program I would never have considered going to Kenya.

I spoke to Kelowna Sunrise Rotary in December 2007, right after my first trip to Nairobi. This summer I presented to them again in hopes of getting them on board with my project for Mama Tunza's Children's Home. I am happy to say thank you to them for their generous donation of $500, which brings total donations to $2500, half way to the end goal. Thank you very much!